落とし穴外伝：雪山で遊ぶ前の準備 (Part1)
Side: Orelia
"Wow, what a nice room. The bed is so soft!"
"It really is~"
The goddesses, Hiren and Lilishe, immediately jumped onto the bed and began rolling around as soon as they entered the room. We were perplexed by the actions of our divine roommates.
...Incidentally, we understood the reason for being assigned to the same room. After all, this event was arranged specifically to foster a closer relationship between us and the goddesses. This arrangement came about because when we visited Luna's residence with Yuki the other day, we were all so stiff and unable to speak properly. It was decided that if things continued this way, it would be difficult for us to act as Yuki's representatives.
It was clear that this would hinder our future work. Therefore, not only this event, but even this shared room, must have been prepared to help us become more accustomed and able to converse smoothly.
I never imagined it would be such a Spartan approach.
...Isn't Yuki a bit too proactive?
No, perhaps if we can't handle this much, we can't negotiate with the gods on Yuki's behalf...
But at least, I wish we had some time to mentally prepare.
As I stood there, lost in thought, a hand suddenly tapped my shoulder from behind.
"Well, I can understand how you feel, but if you're that formal, it makes things difficult for us too."
I turned around to see Luna standing there.
"M-my apologies!"
I hastily apologized for standing in the presence of a god.
"Bwahahahahaha!!"
"Huh? Um..."
Luna's sudden burst of laughter left us utterly bewildered.
Then, Senal, who had sighed behind Luna, spoke up.
"Luna. Just laughing like that will only confuse Orelia and the others."
"Oh, sorry, sorry. How should I put it, it's just such a normal reaction."
"It is Yuki who is abnormal. To treat even you, Luna, in such a manner, let alone us..."
"Oh, Senal, are you saying that? Even though you acted independently, defying me?"
"...I merely had the objective of protecting those children. The result just happened to be defying you, Luna."
I had heard that Senal was a goddess who had not only opposed Yuki but also Luna, a higher-ranking deity. Yet, in Luna's presence, she showed no fear, simply answering directly. She believed it was her chosen path.
And Luna, far from getting angry at her words,
"Yes, that's fine too."
She accepted Senal's words with a smile.
It felt like an incredibly disrespectful remark...
As I wondered why it was permitted...
"Um, may I speak, Luna?"
"Hm? What is it, Fiora?"
"Yuki instructed us to be 'informal.' And while I understand that not getting angry at such a way of speaking, as in your conversation with Senal just now, shows your magnanimity, do you not care about your position? Furthermore, do you permit defiance? Will it not tarnish your name?"
Fiora asked what we had wanted to ask on our behalf. However, her words were quite direct, so we were a little tense. Would she incur anger?
"Well, normally, Fiora and your reactions would be correct."
But Luna showed not the slightest hint of anger at Fiora's question, sitting heavily on the sofa.
"First, before I answer your questions, you should all sit down. Standing conversations are tiring, and making someone stand is also bothersome. Though I suppose that just confuses you, doesn't it?"
Luna said with a laugh, so we cautiously sat down, still keeping our backs perfectly straight.
"Right. First, let's correct your misunderstanding. You know that I also serve as a god of Earth, Yuki's home world, don't you?"
"Yes. We are aware of that."
I recalled Sota and Taizo mentioning that on Earth, her name was Amaterasu Omikami, and she was also a figure who governed the gods.
"And the society on Earth was a comfortable environment for me. They respected the gods moderately, but they valued standing on their own two feet. In Yuki's homeland, too, there used to be respectful language towards gods and nobles. In fact, such things still exist. However, it's not something you force on others. Rather, it's enough to have the feeling of respecting the other person. Fiora, as a princess, you should understand that, shouldn't you?"
"...Yes. But when it comes to kings and gods..."
"It's easy to say it's different. But people are people. I... well, never mind me, but Senal, Lilishe, and Hiren were all originally human. And they rose from being commoners. In other words, their original standing was the same as yours. No, lower than Fiora's."
"..."
"I think you understand by now, but they are members who like that commoner way of life. They prefer to converse without reservations. And it's easier to extract information when you're on friendly terms. You understand this too, don't you? It's not necessarily a bad thing."
...Indeed, if they were originally human and not of high standing, I can understand why being overly revered would be uncomfortable, and it's clear that as gods, it would be difficult to hear the opinions of those below them.
"Finally, anyone who gets angry, cuts ties, or looks down on others for something like that is clearly of low character."
Luna declared with a smile.